‘Plan B’ order is politically correct without any sense

May 18, 2013

Political correctness has sunk into absurdity in a situation involving access to the so-called "Plan B" birth control drug.

If taken within three days of sexual intercourse, the drug can prevent fertilization of human eggs.

Because it can make up for failure to use birth control methods before intercourse, the drug is in great demand.

Previously, the drug, also known as "the morning after pill," was available by prescription only. But the Food and Drug Administration now says it can be sold over the counter, to girls as young as 15.

A federal judge has, in effect, extended that, ruling the drug must be made available to "women" of any age.

The government is appealing that order.

Obviously, the FDA was wrong, but the judge is in even greater error.

Juvenile females are not "women." They are children.

The government has restricted their access to any number of products with fewer potentially harmful side effects than Plan B. Children cannot obtain many drugs without their parents' permission.

Political correctness is running amok. Let's hope the appeals court has a better understanding of the difference between women and children.

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Complying with the new federal health care law - "Obamacare" - will cost taxpayers in West Virginia and Ohio hundreds of millions of dollars during the next several years. We should not allow government officials to spend any of it secretly.

That is precisely what seems about to happen in California, however. There, a law has been enacted to set up a state insurance exchange, as required under Obamacare. According to The Associated Press, the statute gives state government "broad authority to conceal spending on the contractors that will perform most of its functions, potentially shielding the public from seeing how hundreds of millions of dollars are spent."

Our states also must have insurance exchanges. West Virginia wants to set one up in partnership with the federal government. Ohio may allow Washington to set up and operate its exchange.

In neither state should taxpayers tolerate the sort of secrecy being contemplated in California. That will lead to waste and, in all likelihood, outright fraud.

Here in our two states, new health care programs must be operated openly. Taxpayers should demand it.